Team reconnects nerves to reverse Alzheimer’s disease in mice

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A research team said it has healed mice with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders by linking broken neural networks with artificial synapse connectors.

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The scientists primarily from Keio University and Aichi Medical University said their achievement could help ascertain the mechanisms of nerve disorders in humans and lead to treatments.

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The findings were published in the U.S. scientific journal Science on Aug. 28.

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“A therapy (for nerve diseases) associated with synapses will be totally new, and expectations are high for that,” said team member Michisuke Yuzaki, a neurophysiology professor at Keio University.

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Studies have shown that when synapses linking neurons, or nerve cells, are cut, cerebral signals become difficult to transmit, causing neurological problems to interfere with memories and body movements.

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With so many different kinds of synapses, it had been difficult to reconnect targeted ones.

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To “bridge” broken synapses, the team developed an artificial synapse connector by combining synapse-forming proteins. The researchers confirmed the cut synapses were linked again with the connector in a culture dish.

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The scientists then administered the connector to model mice treated to develop Alzheimer’s disease, cerebellar ataxia and spinal cord injury, and discovered that they recovered from the conditions within a few days.

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They are looking to apply the new method to human patients.

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